An American Tragedy (1931) Review: A messy, moody disaster that I kind of liked

If you want to spend your afternoon watching a man make the worst possible decisions for two hours, you should definitely watch this. It is a great pick for people who love 1930s melodramas where the lighting is better than the logic. You will probaly hate it if you need your main characters to be even slightly likable. 🛑

Clyde Griffiths is played by Phillips Holmes, and honestly, he has the most punchable face in cinema history. He moves to the city to work for his rich uncle and immediately starts breaking the factory rules. He is suppose to stay away from the girls on the line, but he doesn't. He meets Roberta, played by the incredible Sylvia Sidney.

Sylvia Sidney is the only reason this movie works as well as it does. Her eyes are so big and watery that you feel like you are drowning in them. Seriously. Every time she is on screen, the movie feels ten times more important than it actually is. It’s a lot more emotional than some of the other stuff from that era, like maybe The Truth About Helen.

The plot is basically a slow-motion train wreck. Clyde gets Roberta pregnant, which was a huge deal back then. But then he meets Sondra, who is rich and beautiful and represents everything he wants. Sondra is played by Frances Dee, and she is fine, but she doesn't have that raw sadness that Sidney brings.

Clyde starts thinking about how to 'get rid' of his problem. It is really dark. The way the director, Josef von Sternberg, shoots the factory is so cool. It feels heavy and metallic. It actually reminded me a bit of the vibe in Danger Lights with all the industrial stuff.

There is this one scene on a boat that is just uncomfortable. The silence goes on for way too long. You can see Clyde’s brain working, and it is not doing anything good. The water looks like ink. It’s very moody and spooky for a movie that isn't a horror film. 🚣‍♂️

I noticed that the sound is a bit weird in some spots. Like, a door will slam and it sounds like a gunshot. Or someone will whisper and it sounds like they are shouting in your ear. It’s that early talkie jank that I actually find kind of charming. It feels real, like they were still figuring out where to put the microphones. 🎙️

The courtroom stuff at the end drags on. It feels like it lasts for forty years. Everyone is shouting and pointing fingers. It lacks the weird, dreamy energy of the first half. I found myself checking how much time was left during the long speeches.

Irving Pichel plays the prosecutor and he is doing way too much. He’s basically a cartoon villain with a deep voice. It’s funny because the rest of the movie tries to be so serious. It’s like he wandered in from a different set, maybe from something like The Strange Boarder.

I read that the guy who wrote the book, Theodore Dreiser, hated this movie. He sued the studio because he thought they made Clyde look like a common criminal instead of a victim of society. He’s kind of right? The movie doesn't really care about the 'American Dream' being a lie. It just thinks Clyde is a dummy who got in over his head.

Clyde’s mom shows up at one point and she is very intense. She wears these black clothes and looks like she stepped out of a gothic novel. The family dynamics are just messy. Nobody talks to each other like normal people. It's all dramatic sighs and looking off into the distance.

I think the film is actually better than the 1951 remake in some ways. It feels more 'dirty' and less polished. The 51 version is too pretty. This one feels like it was filmed in a basement. Which is a compliment! 🏚️

The way the movie handles the pregnancy is very 'Pre-Code.' They don't use the word, but you know exactly what’s happening. It’s much more honest than movies became just a few years later. It has that grit you see in things like Passion Flower.

One small detail I loved was the hats. Everyone has these perfectly shaped hats. Even when Clyde is losing his mind, his hat is usually straight. It’s a weird thing to notice, I guess. But it stood out to me.

The ending is pretty grim. There is no happy ending here. If you are looking for a feel-good movie, go watch Winning Grandma instead. This one is going to leave you feeling a bit cold. But in a good way? Like a cold shower.

It’s not a perfect movie. It’s unbalanced and some of the acting is stiff as a board. But those factory scenes and Sylvia Sidney’s face stay with you. It feels like a real tragedy, even if the guy at the center of it is a total loser. 📉

Anyway, I'm glad I watched it. It’s got that weird 1931 energy where everything is a bit experimental. It’s worth a look if you can find a decent print of it. Just don't expect to like Clyde. You won't.